Paris bans old cars

Paris has commenced its program of restriction on cars made prior to 1997 and motorcycles predating 2000, making it illegal to drive in the centre of Paris on weekdays between 8 am and 8 pm, according to Green Car Reports (GCR).

The ban was announced last year and introduced in order to lessen the increasing air pollution in the French capital. The program requires all vehicles to display a coloured sticker that corresponds to one of six levels of exhaust emissions and GCR said it is the toughest measure implemented by any European city thus far.

Drivers and riders that ignore the ban will be subject to a fine of €35 (about AU$50), although there is a grace period of three months. The amount of the fine is expected to rise over time, starting with an increase to €68 ($75) early next year.

Some classic cars will be exempt from the ban, in response to concern from car-collector organisations.

The move has upset some, with a group named 40 Million Drivers asserting that it is discriminatory towards drivers from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. This claim has been downplayed by Paris officials who suggest that only 1000 of the 600,000 cars that use Parisian roads daily will be affected (this figure was previously believed to be around 10%).

The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, wants to exert pressure on citizens to opt for public transport, bike sharing and electric-car sharing and also wants diesel cars banned. A ban on internal-combustion cars registered before 2010 to be enacted in 2020 is reportedly also on the table for consideration.